The detection of various ingredients in beverages is desirable for a number of reasons, but most importantly for health and safety. Some beverages advertised as non-caffeinated or sugar-free may actually contain those substances. In addition, the placement of illicit drugs in beverages is on the rise.
Most detection methods of such substances are straightforward in a laboratory setting. But the detection methods have not been successfully carried over to portable devices for use in a social setting. For those devices or apparatus that do exist, they are often bulky and easily identifiable. This leads to a reluctance of the user to utilize the apparatus in public.